improving go pro images

[Antmany2k]

hi all, so i have a go pro hero 4 black and the videos and stills are ok but i think there is room for improvement. i have a red filter which improves it a little but not as much as id like. looking to boost it with a few purchases:

1. a tray - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product...act_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1IS5XKYMBAIWR - seems straight forward enough, assume its all i really need?

2. lights presumably with good lights i don't need the filter or would i need a filter as well? bit torn on this as i have seen 2:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Evolva-Fut...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=94J3V9MPR4H9TX8FHHW7 - good reviews but do i need 2? 1 for each side?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterproof...s&pd_rd_r=STQMB5H42MM4ZAXV4F9C&_encoding=UTF8 - cheaper but i don't know if it would be as good as the above ones or better or worse

4 - Macro lens - i really want a macro lens to go with my go pro standard housing. ideally one that flips out of the way as its only going to be necessary for certain situations and not all the time. now i have found lenses for as low as £10 but it seems too cheap considering lenses for my SLR cost a lot more but i can't find any that are much more than that and there are limited articles i can find on them. also has mixed reviews.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product..._act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A70NNKMGZLPLO - This switchblade is a bit more at £40 but again has mixed reviews. i am looking at buying my own reg set which isn't going to be cheap so i don't want to/can't afford anything too costly camera accessory wise but i also don't want to pay peanuts and get rubbish gear. any advice?

anything else that you would recommend that i may have missed or haven't considered?

oh and if it matters my diving is generally warm clearer waters between 18m-30m

thanks in advance

 

[KeithG]

do you want to improve the stills from your current camera?
OR
do you want to improve YOUR stills?

for improved stills I would consider a better camera...

 

[Antmany2k]

do you want to improve the stills from your current camera?
OR
do you want to improve YOUR stills?

for improved stills I would consider a better camera...

As much as id like a better camera i cant really afford it and the go pro was a gift so i dont want to offend the person who got it for me. So its a case of getting the best out of what i have. Besides i don't rate myself to get "in the moment" stills from a camera" video works for me cause as a novice i can video it for a while then get the best still from that video. Any stills i have done from a go pro have been poor (blurry, poorly framed, out of screen)

 

[UFOrb]

Hi Ant,
so the spending goes on, as we previously discussed I've just bought an Ultralight tray and arm for my canon set up. also ended up looking at semi-dry wetsuits in the shop where I picked the arm up from in London yesterday. Gotta stop spending! Btw, off-topic, but the bloke in shop recommended Oyster diving for a first uk dive as they do guided dives out of shoreham. He also rates ocean view.

Anyway, back to your questions, there was recently a thread on budget lights including the Evolva light you mentioned.
Chinese Vastfire Video lights

They seem to get reasonable feedback for their price, but they are very much a budget option as I'm sure you're well aware. Two of them would be better if you can stretch to it.

EDIT: actually this is the thread I was thinking of video light deal: Evolva Future Technology D02

 

[diver0008]

macro + filters:

FLIP4 Pro Package with SHALLOW, DIVE & DEEP Filters & +15 MacroMate Mini Lens for GoPro 3, 3+, 4

a pair of lights on a tray. Many options available.

 

[Antmany2k]

Hi Ant,
so the spending goes on, as we previously discussed I've just bought an Ultralight tray and arm for my canon set up. also ended up looking at semi-dry wetsuits in the shop where I picked the arm up from in London yesterday. Gotta stop spending! Btw, off-topic, but the bloke in shop recommended Oyster diving for a first uk dive as they do guided dives out of shoreham. He also rates ocean view.

Anyway, back to your questions, there was recently a thread on budget lights including the Evolva light you mentioned.
Chinese Vastfire Video lights

They seem to get reasonable feedback for their price, but they are very much a budget option as I'm sure you're well aware. Two of them would be better if you can stretch to it.

EDIT: actually this is the thread I was thinking of video light deal: Evolva Future Technology D02

i just can't stop lol. did you buy a Semi dry in the end? or did you restrain yourself? i am heading ocean view on Sunday as it happens. going to see if they have a back plate and wing i can test out in the pool so i can decide if i like it and go for that instead of a bcd. will check out oyster diving, thanks for the tip.

yeah budget is good but you see things for a tenner and you just doubt they will be any good. i want something that does the job but doesn't break the bank. will read those threads you sent and see what they say

 

[UFOrb]

did you buy a Semi dry in the end? or did you restrain yourself?

I restrained myself, partly cos I had to be somewhere else that afternoon. The fella actually suggested that, although thick wet or semi-dry would be ok for summer/autumn diving on the south/southwest coast, I'd be better off getting a dry suit - he then went on to offer me interest free credit over 4 years!

yeah budget is good but you see things for a tenner and you just doubt they will be any good. i want something that does the job but doesn't break the bank. will read those threads you sent and see what they say

Those Evolva lights seem to get decent reviews, the main complaint being the bolt for the ball connector is a little short (something that could be easily rEsolva-d - sorry).

 

[UFOrb]

i am heading ocean view on Sunday as it happens. going to see if they have a back plate and wing i can test out in the pool so i can decide if i like it and go for that instead of a bcd.

I'll be interested to see how you get on! Keep me posted.

 

[Antmany2k]

I restrained myself, partly cos I had to be somewhere else that afternoon. The fella actually suggested that, although thick wet or semi-dry would be ok for summer/autumn diving on the south/southwest coast, I'd be better off getting a dry suit - he then went on to offer me interest free credit over 4 years!

yeah from what i heard Semi dry is a bit misleading. you can't be semi dry any more than you can be semi pregnant lol. my mate has one and swears by it but i think he may get a shock when he dives the uk in Winter as he plans to. dry suit is the better option i think.

Those Evolva lights seem to get decent reviews, the main complaint being the bolt for the ball connector is a little short (something that could be easily rEsolva-d - sorry).

lol i couldn't help but laugh

 

[UFOrb]

i think he may get a shock when he dives the uk in Winter as he plans to. dry suit is the better option i think.

Friggin hell, wetsuit in UK winter, semi-dry or not! what a nutter!!